SZA’s admiration for Drew Barrymore is well documented. On her debut studio album, CTRL, she even named a song after the Charlie’s Angels actor. So, today (January 13) when the “Drive” singer made an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show viewers knew they were in for a touching treat, and they were not disappointed.
During their chat, an emotional SZA thanked Drew Barrymore for “giving here permission” to be herself. “I wrote you this letter that I never sent you,” she said. “When you’re a younger Black woman, there are not a lot of examples all the time, and one of the few lovely white women that I looked up to so much on television was you because you were so yourself.”
She continued: “You were quirky. Your smile wasn’t perfect. I have a slight speech impediment, and people laugh all the time. They’re like, ‘What is SZA saying?’ And it’s like a running joke.”
SZA closed the compliment fest by expressing her gratitude to Barrymore for the impact her presence had on her growing up. “I love the way you talk and like, just all the you-ness of you, your laugh, even in the movies and in real life,” she said. “It just reminds me of all the things about myself that make me nervous, but on you, it shines so brightly. You gave me permission to be myself… And be like, this is so cool…. All your old photo shoots, I look them up… I love you.”
Watch the clip of SZA’s appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show above.
